Hermione and the Slytherin Beast
by OopsIBrokeMyReed
Summary: When Hermione is caught stealing from Snape's private ingredient store, he forces her to be his assistant or be expelled for her actions. How will Hermione survive working with this ruthless beast? Loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. Very AU, some HBP.
1. The Vine Wand

**Here is the new and improved Chapter 1! It even has a name, which I neglected the first time.**

The ancient oak door creaked open slowly, disturbing the dust that had long since settled on the cold stone floor. The candelabras on the wall flickered ominously, as if they knew somebody was in the dungeon classroom who most definitely was not supposed to be. The intruder's breath rose up in a chilly mist before her; she felt the gooseflesh rise up on her skin.

Hermione hated the dungeons. They always gave her the unnerving feeling that a greasy, foul monster was hiding in the shadows, waiting to swoop down upon her. _Which there is_, she thought grimly.

Sneaking down to Snape's private store of ingredients was not her idea of fun, but she needed Boomslang skin for yet another batch of Polyjuice potion. Hermione felt like it was the only thing left that she could do to help. After Harry discovered the existence of the Hocruxes, he made the noble decision that he was going to destroy them alone. Hermione and Ron were furious with him at first, but they eventually accepted his choice and vowed to help him any way they could before he set off on his journey to find and dispel of them. Both Ron and Hermione had spent several sleepless nights in the restricted section of the library, among towers of dusty volumes, researching ways to destroy the Hocruxes. Harry, meanwhile, became more restless each day, until he finally announced to them that he was going to depart at the end of the month.

Hermione sighed at the thought of Harry. He was leaving at the end of the week, and she wanted to make sure that he had a good supply of Polyjuice to take with him; after all, there weren't too many wizards with lightning bolt scars and green eyes out there, and Voldemort's followers were on high alert for any sign of Harry outside of Hogwarts. She was worried about him, but she also was confident that he could find a way to destroy each Hocrux, and eventually Voldemort himself.

Hermione reached the store cupboard. She tried the latch, unsurprised to find it locked. With a quick, whispered _Alohomora_, she had the cupboard open, coughing slightly at the dust. Her eyes flew over the different bottles of ingredients. Snape had apparently rearranged the contents since her last visit; the Boomslang skin was nowhere to be found. Silently cursing, Hermione started shifting bottles here and there, trying to see if it was behind a larger bottle. _Beetle eyes, Bezoars, Bubotuber pus…Boomslang skin! Finally!_ Hermione thought. There was a small, flat package wrapped in parchment, labeled in spiky handwriting "Skin, Boomslang" behind an enormous beaker of undiluted Bubotuber pus.

Hermione carefully slid her small hand behind the beaker, not wanting to change the appearance of the contents in Snape's cabinet. The less she changed the better; after all, Snape was known for his extreme attention to detail. No doubt he would notice if a single vial of Chinese Chomping Cabbage essence was off by a few millimeters. She eyed the door to Snape's office, praying to the gods that he wasn't in there. _Just a bit further…_

Suddenly, the Bubotuber pus slid from the shelf. Hermione watched, as if in slow motion, the beaker hit the floor and shatter deafeningly at her feet. She jumped back, grabbing the Boomslang skin and pulling her hand quickly from the cabinet, upsetting a bowl, and showering herself in dried spiders. Several smaller bottles tumbled from the shelves, each one shattering on the unforgiving stone floor. She heard loud, hurried footsteps on the other side of Snape's office door and ran for it, abandoning any attempts to conceal the mess.

Hermione didn't see Snape slam the door open, cursing colorfully; Snape, however, caught a glimpse of bushy brown hair flying out of the classroom. He strode over to his cabinet, glaring at the mess and the wasted ingredients. A vein pulsed rapidly in his neck, and his pale face was turning a deep shade of red. Shaking with anger, he noticed something else lying among the conundrum formerly known as his ingredient store. It was a wand made of vine wood, with intricate designs carved into the handle. There was a very small "HG" neatly carved near the bottom. Snape grinned wickedly.

"Granger."


	2. A Very Truthy Class

**A/N: Thanks for the two reviews! I went back through and edited the first chapter, hopefully it makes more sense now!**

Sunlight streamed into the Potion Master's bedroom. Contrary to popular belief, he sought refuge from the dungeons in his private quarters, which were located directly above the dreary classroom and possessed a magnificent view of the mountains surrounding Hogwarts. The room was quite plain; two wing backed chairs upholstered in black velvet stood in front of a stone fireplace. There was a small, round, wooden table, on which lay several potions books and the remnants of last night's supper (Snape often preferred to dine alone). In the corner stood a four-poster bed draped in green, its occupant slowly sitting up and berating the bright light for ending his slumber. The balmy sunlight shone brightly on his pallid skin. He stood up and glanced at the two wands on his bedside table; one was the vine wand, and the other was his own ebony and dragon heart-string wand. The man smirked.

Severus Snape did not look forward to too many days of the year. This day was one of the rarer variety.

Several hours later, Snape looked up from the fifth-year's essays on the Invigoration Draught. His N.E.W.T. class was filing into the classroom quietly. Six years of potions had apparently taught them, if nothing else, that Severus Snape did not tolerate loud, enthusiastic conversations in his classroom. Among the throng he saw a flash of unkempt brown hair, and smirked inwardly. It was going to be a very interesting lesson.

"Silence!" Snape roared, but there was no need. "Today we will be exploring one of the most difficult potions that you will brew here at Hogwarts; Veritaserum. We have already discussed the potion in previous years, you should know the effects. This project will be much longer than one class period, for the potion takes approximately one month to mature. To reiterate, what exactly does Veritaserum do, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up at him, trembling. Her hazel eyes were wide with fright, not eager with the excitement of knowing the correct answer.

"It's a truth drug" she whispered, barley audible.

"Precisely, Miss Granger. And in what situations do you suppose said truth drug is used?" Snape growled. Hermione shrunk into her seat.

"Interrogations" she said, her voice shaking.

"Correct once again. But who would expect anything less from our resident 'arrogant know-it-all'" he hissed, his onyx eyes giving her malevolent glare. "Now, this potion requires a unique step that you have not encountered yet in this class. The cauldron must be charmed, or the reaction of the initial ingredients, Jobberknoll feathers and hellebore, will effectively melt the cauldron unless it is made of gold. Since I see none of you have a gold cauldron," he sneered, "we shall have to use your pewter ones instead."

He glanced at Hermione; she looked positively terrified. Snape smirked.

"The incantation is _Augeo_, a simple strengthening spell which is commonly used on metals, especially in buildings for safety reasons." He waved his wand and the ingredients appeared on the board. "Well, what are you all waiting for?" he snarled. There was a flurry of shuffling as the students pulled out quills and parchment, and began furiously copying down the ingredients. However, one student was not paying attention to the ingredients.

"Miss Granger" Snape said dangerously, "I believe I told you to get started."

"I know the ingredients, Professor" Hermione said quietly. Snape was impressed in spite of himself; Veritaserum was an extremely complicated potion with many rare ingredients. He himself had not memorized it until well into his career at Hogwarts.

"Well," he said carefully, maintaining his evil demeanor, "then get on with the charm."

"I can't, Sir."

The whole room seemed to screech to a halt. Every eye in the room was on Hermione, and then Snape. To everyone's great surprise (although not Hermione's), he smiled.

"Stay after class, Miss Granger. I believe we have some business to discuss."

Hermione carefully put away her books, avoiding the eyes of the Potions Master. Her shaking hands betrayed her steady voice as she said,

"There was something you wanted to speak to me about, Professor?"

"Miss Granger, last night something rather puzzling happened in this very classroom. Do you know what that might be?" Hermione remained silent. "Girl! Come up here now." She stood up and approached the desk, made of ebony like his wand. "There is no use in denying it, Miss Granger. I know you were here last night. Not only did you steal several very valuable grams of boomslang skin, but you also destroyed half of the other ingredients in my _private cabinet_."

"Sir," Hermione said "With all due respect…prove it." Snape stood up and reached inside of his robe. He produced the vine wand from his pocket and slammed it on the desk. Hermione gasped. She had prayed that of all places, she had not dropped it in the dungeons. The fates, however, seemed to be with Professor Snape on that night.

"Miss Granger, I do not need truth serums or Legimens to figure out who destroyed my ingredients last night. Theft, if caught, can result in expulsion from Hogwarts. I believe this wand is evidence enough."

"What?! NO!" Hermione screamed. "I'll do anything, ANYTHING! It was me, I admit it! Please don't expel me! Hogwarts…Hogwarts is all I have left" she said, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Snape smirked.

"Stop that inane blubbering, Miss Granger. What I have in mind for your punishment is not near as easy as expulsion. You will serve detention with me every evening until I feel that the ingredients you so recklessly destroyed have been paid off. You will do what I tell you without a fuss. If you do not perform your tasks up to expectations," he paused evilly, "I will notify the Headmaster of your misdeeds."

Hermione nodded in understanding, breathing a sigh of relief. As long as she wasn't expelled, she figured that she could handle anything that Snape threw at her. She reached out to collect her wand, and Snape's hand shot out and his spidery fingers grabbed her around the wrist.

"Remember, Miss Granger," he hissed, "One complaint, and you will be on the train home."

**More notes:**

**1. Don't have a dirty mind with the "tasks" that Hermione will have to do in her detentions. This isn't _that_ kind of story. Snape may be an evil, greasy bat, but he's not a rapist! **

**2. Hermione's wand is actually made of vine, according to various online sources. Snape's wand being made of ebony, however, is pure speculation. **

**3. Jobberknoll feathers are an ingredient used in truth serums and mind potions, and hellebore is used in the draught of peace. I figured since Veritaserum seems to make the drinker glaze over that it could be used in that too. 4. _Augeo_ is Latin for "strengthen" (or so the online translator tells me). **

**I think that's all! I'd love to hear more comments, questions, and constructive criticism! **


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